How Twitter lost its place as the global town square
Twitter is hemorrhaging relevance, and Meta's Threads made an impressive debut, but TikTok is the social media app to beat.
By Taylor LorenzWhat to know about Bluesky, as Dril and AOC join the new Twitter alternative
The Jack Dorsey-backed Bluesky app could be Twitter’s doppleganger and has drawn some of Twitter’s bigger names.
By Kelsey Ables and Heather KellySupreme Court’s ruling on online harassment outrages victims, advocates
The court's 7-2 ruling found that while true threats of violence aren’t protected by the First Amendment, other harassing online speech is,
By Taylor LorenzTikTok’s senior U.S. executive steps down, signaling major change
The company also announced a new head of operations and the hiring of a Disney veteran to become the company’s chief brand and communications officer.
By Drew Harwell and Taylor LorenzChinese internet users are mocking — and eating — #WhitePeopleFood
Making fun of bland salads, sandwiches and cold cuts is all the rage on Chinese social media, even as they increasingly become staples for the country's youths.
By Lyric LiMontana banned TikTok. Now these Montanans are fighting back.
How a highly politicized social media ban in Big Sky Country sparked a nationwide fight over freedom of speech.
By Lisa BonosAt Cannes Film Festival, TikTok is inescapable
TikTok's Chinese ownership may dominate conversation in Washington. At Cannes, its influence is undeniable.
By Taylor Lorenz‘Queenmaker’ shows how blogs upended New York’s high society
In a new Hulu documentary, director Zackary Drucker explores the rise of blogs about socialites in the 2000s and their lasting effects on internet culture.
By Taylor LorenzAn influencer’s AI clone will be your girlfriend for $1 a minute
Launched this week, CarynAI is a chat bot leveraging GPT-4 API technology to replicate Caryn Marjorie's voice, mannerisms, and personality.
By Taylor LorenzHeather Armstrong, who made it okay to say motherhood was hard, dead at 47
Armstrong detailed her struggles with postpartum depression, her conflicted emotions about motherhood, her battles with alcoholism, and her relationship and eventual divorce.
By Taylor LorenzWelcome to the age of automated dating
Using dating apps can be a slog. But there are AI programs that will ease the travail. Just be warned that they are not perfect.
By Taylor LorenzTwitter users #BlockTheBlue as ‘verified’ accounts take on new meaning
Some netizens have blocked accounts after Twitter removed the symbol from legacy accounts.
By Kelsey AblesSnapchat isn’t known for minting internet stars. It’s trying to change that.
Snapchat has been faced with a declining stock price and slow user growth.
By Taylor Lorenz and Chris Velazco‘Claudia’ offers nude photos for pay. Experts say she’s an AI fake.
New technology has for years been pioneered through porn. AI-image creation hasn't broken from that pattern.
By Drew HarwellThere are almost no legal protections for the internet’s child stars
A growing movement is pushing for Congress to pass laws to protect child influencers similar to those that cover child actors.
By Taylor LorenzLemon8 is a Chinese-owned app. Can it survive the hype cycle?
The app is owned by TikTok's parent company ByteDance, but many content creators seem fatigued by the prospect of yet another platform to post on.
By Taylor LorenzHow a fake Nashville manifesto fueled anti-trans rage online
The fake highlights how trolls and liars can use computer tools to muddle the truth about mass shootings.
By Drew HarwellHow a tiny company with few rules is making fake images go mainstream
Midjourney, the year-old firm behind recent fake visuals of Trump and the pope, illustrates the lack of oversight accompanying spectacular strides in AI.
By Isaac Stanley-Becker and Drew HarwellWilliam Wulf, computer pioneer who opened way for internet, dies at 83
Dr. Wulf envisioned a digital network open to all. He found an ally in Al Gore.
By Brian MurphyBiden stuck between China hawks, young voters as TikTok pressure mounts
The administration faces national security concerns over the app’s ownership — and a possible backlash over a ban.
By Jeff Stein, Cristiano Lima and Taylor Lorenz